Flexible wearable ring device

Abstract

A wearable device is described. The wearable device may be constructed of one or more flexible materials, and may be referred to as a flexible wearable device. The flexible wearable device may include a flexible housing that is made of a material that is elastically deformable, where the flexible housing at least partially surrounds components of the flexible wearable device. The flexible housing may include apertures disposed within the surface of the flexible housing to enable light to be transmitted and received through the flexible housing. The flexible wearable device may also include a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the flexible housing (e.g., within a cavity formed by the flexible housing). The PCB may include sensors configured to acquire physiological data from a user by transmitting light and receiving light through the apertures. The PCB may be constructed of flexible regions that are elastically deformable.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A flexible wearable device, comprising:
 a flexible housing comprising a flexible material that is elastically deformable and that at least partially surrounds one or more components of the flexible wearable device, wherein the flexible housing comprises: 
 an inner housing component associated with a first stiffness; 
 an outer housing component associated with a second stiffness that is different from the first stiffness; 
 a plurality of apertures disposed within a surface of the flexible housing; and 
 a printed circuit board disposed within the flexible housing, wherein the printed circuit board comprises:
 a plurality of sensors configured to acquire physiological data from a user based at least in part on light transmitted and received through the plurality of apertures; and 
 one or more flexible regions that are elastically deformable. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible housing comprises:
 a molded inner housing component including the flexible material, wherein the plurality of apertures are disposed within the surface of the molded inner housing component; and 
 a molded outer housing component coupled with the molded inner housing component to form the flexible housing, wherein the molded outer housing component includes the flexible material, an additional flexible material, or both. 
 
     
     
       3. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board further comprises:
 a battery apparatus that is electrically coupled with the plurality of sensors, wherein the battery apparatus comprises:
 a plurality of battery segments; and 
 one or more connection segments that are configured to electrically and structurally couple the plurality of battery segments to one another, wherein the one or more connection segments are elastically deformable. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The flexible wearable device of  claim 3 , wherein the battery apparatus is disposed on the printed circuit board such that the one or more connection segments of the battery apparatus are aligned with the one or more flexible regions of the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       5. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible wearable device is configured to elastically deform from a first shape to at least a second shape in response to a force applied to the flexible wearable device, and wherein the flexible material, the one or more flexible regions, or both, are configured to exert a resistive force against the force applied to the flexible wearable device, wherein a magnitude of the resistive force increases as the flexible wearable device is elastically deformed from the first shape to the second shape. 
     
     
       6. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible housing is molded over the printed circuit board such that at least one surface of the printed circuit board is bonded to at least one surface of the flexible housing. 
     
     
       7. The flexible wearable device of  claim 6 , wherein the printed circuit board is embedded within the flexible housing and bonded to the flexible housing such that, when the flexible wearable device is elastically deformed from a first shape to a second shape, the at least one surface of the printed circuit board and the at least one surface of the flexible housing remain stationary with respect to one another. 
     
     
       8. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible housing further comprises:
 a transparent material disposed within the plurality of apertures, wherein the transparent material is configured to enable transmission and reception of light through the plurality of apertures to and from the plurality of sensors. 
 
     
     
       9. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises an epoxy material, a polymer material, a polyurethane material, a silicon material, a rubber material, an elastomer material, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       10. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible housing and the one or more flexible regions of the printed circuit board are elastically deformable in response to both a compressive force and a stretching force. 
     
     
       11. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board further comprises:
 one or more radio frequency components configured to perform wireless communications, the one or more radio frequency components electrically coupled with the plurality of sensors, wherein the flexible material is configured to enable wireless signals to be communicated through the flexible housing to and from the one or more radio frequency components. 
 
     
     
       12. The flexible wearable device of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless signals comprise near field communication signals, Bluetooth signals, or both. 
     
     
       13. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible wearable device comprises a flexible wearable ring device, the flexible housing comprises a flexible ring-shaped housing. 
     
     
       14. The flexible wearable device of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of apertures are disposed within an inner circumferential surface of the flexible ring-shaped housing. 
     
     
       15. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the inner housing component is associated with the first stiffness to prevent damage to one or more electrical components of the flexible wearable device. 
     
     
       16. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the inner housing component, the outer housing component, or both, are configured to exert a resistive force based at least in part on a deforming force exerted on the flexible wearable device, wherein a magnitude of the resistive force increases as a magnitude of displacement of the inner housing component, the outer housing component, or both, increases. 
     
     
       17. The flexible wearable device of  claim 16 , wherein the magnitude of the resistive force exerted by the inner housing component and the outer housing component is based at least in part on the first stiffness of the inner housing component and the second stiffness of the outer housing component. 
     
     
       18. The flexible wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board further comprises:
 a battery apparatus that is electrically coupled with the plurality of sensors, wherein the battery apparatus comprises:
 a plurality of battery segments; and 
 one or more connection segments that are configured to electrically and structurally couple the plurality of battery segments to one another, wherein the one or more connection segments are elastically deformable, and wherein the one or more connection segments exhibit a third stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness and the second stiffness. 
 
 
     
     
       19. A flexible wearable ring device, comprising:
 a flexible housing comprising a flexible material that is elastically deformable and that at least partially surrounds one or more components of the flexible wearable ring device, wherein the flexible housing comprises:
 a first portion associated with a first stiffness, wherein the first portion of the flexible housing spans a first radial portion around a circumference of the flexible wearable ring device, and wherein the first stiffness is selected based at least in part on one or more components positioned within the first radial portion of the flexible housing; 
 a second portion associated with a second stiffness that is different from the first stiffness, wherein the second portion of the flexible housing spans a second radial portion around the circumference of the flexible wearable ring device, and wherein the second stiffness is selected based at least in part on one or more additional components positioned within the second radial portion of the flexible housing; 
 a plurality of apertures disposed within a surface of the flexible housing; and 
 a printed circuit board disposed within the flexible housing, wherein the printed circuit board comprises:
 a plurality of sensors configured to acquire physiological data from a user based at least in part on light transmitted and received through the plurality of apertures; and 
 one or more flexible regions that are elastically deformable.